10th January 2025 - Ingleborough
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.1 miles
Total ascent: 2145 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Horton in Ribblesdale-Sulber Nick-Pennine Bridleway-Sulber Gate-Pennine Bridleway-Dales High Way-Ingleborough-Little Ingleborough-Clapham Bottoms-Pennine Bridleway-Sulber Gate-Sulber Nick-Horton in Ribblesdale
The snow turned up as forecast last weekend, and it's actually lasted through the week so that I have the opportunity to get out walking in it. Today is my Friday off work, and with a fine winter's day forecast I decided to head to Horton-in-Ribblesdale and have a walk up Ingleborough. It being a weekday I expected that it would be much quieter than if I did the same walk during the weekend, especially given the conditions. It was, I passed just a handful of people throughout the whole day. Most of the route was already familiar to me from numerous previous walks, but I'd somehow managed to never climb Ingleborough from Horton-in-Ribblesdale before. I arrived in Horton just as the sun was rising on a bitterly cold morning, with a few inches of snow on the ground and plenty of blue skies. The weather for the rest of the day was perfect for a snowy winter's walk. Plenty of blue skies and sunshine, great visibility for taking in the views, and with quite a gentle breeze it didn't feel too cold. The increasing depth of snow with height made for some hard work, it was knee-deep in places.
From where I parked my car in Horton-in-Ribblesdale I made my way through the village and up the lane to the railway station on the Settle to Carlisle line. After crossing the footbridge over the railway line I took the footpath on the other side and followed it west to and through Sulber Nick to its junction with the Pennine Bridleway. A short detour along the Pennine Bridleway to Sulber Gate was done to take in the view to Penyghent, and after returning to the path junction I carried on following the footpath west. This joined the Dales High Way path for the ascent across Simon Fell Breast and to the summit of Ingleborough, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I left Ingleborough via the path to Little Ingleborough, then from there the footpath down towards Trow Gill. I left this path before making the descent into Trow Gill and followed a well-trodden line of footprints in the snow across the moorland of Clapham Bottoms to reach the Pennine Bridleway at the top of Long Lane. The Pennine Bridleway then took me north to the footpath junction with the Three Peaks path that I was at earlier in the day, and from there I retraced my steps back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
Total ascent: 2145 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Horton in Ribblesdale-Sulber Nick-Pennine Bridleway-Sulber Gate-Pennine Bridleway-Dales High Way-Ingleborough-Little Ingleborough-Clapham Bottoms-Pennine Bridleway-Sulber Gate-Sulber Nick-Horton in Ribblesdale
The snow turned up as forecast last weekend, and it's actually lasted through the week so that I have the opportunity to get out walking in it. Today is my Friday off work, and with a fine winter's day forecast I decided to head to Horton-in-Ribblesdale and have a walk up Ingleborough. It being a weekday I expected that it would be much quieter than if I did the same walk during the weekend, especially given the conditions. It was, I passed just a handful of people throughout the whole day. Most of the route was already familiar to me from numerous previous walks, but I'd somehow managed to never climb Ingleborough from Horton-in-Ribblesdale before. I arrived in Horton just as the sun was rising on a bitterly cold morning, with a few inches of snow on the ground and plenty of blue skies. The weather for the rest of the day was perfect for a snowy winter's walk. Plenty of blue skies and sunshine, great visibility for taking in the views, and with quite a gentle breeze it didn't feel too cold. The increasing depth of snow with height made for some hard work, it was knee-deep in places.
From where I parked my car in Horton-in-Ribblesdale I made my way through the village and up the lane to the railway station on the Settle to Carlisle line. After crossing the footbridge over the railway line I took the footpath on the other side and followed it west to and through Sulber Nick to its junction with the Pennine Bridleway. A short detour along the Pennine Bridleway to Sulber Gate was done to take in the view to Penyghent, and after returning to the path junction I carried on following the footpath west. This joined the Dales High Way path for the ascent across Simon Fell Breast and to the summit of Ingleborough, where I stopped for lunch. After this break I left Ingleborough via the path to Little Ingleborough, then from there the footpath down towards Trow Gill. I left this path before making the descent into Trow Gill and followed a well-trodden line of footprints in the snow across the moorland of Clapham Bottoms to reach the Pennine Bridleway at the top of Long Lane. The Pennine Bridleway then took me north to the footpath junction with the Three Peaks path that I was at earlier in the day, and from there I retraced my steps back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.
Route map
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Penyghent from a snowy Horton-in-Ribblesdale
Long shadows on snow-covered fields
Horton-in-Ribblesdale station on the Settle to Carlisle railway
After crossing the railway line via the footbridge I take a footpath northwest across fields towards Sulber Nick..
Looking back across Ribblesdale to Penyghent
Views ahead to Ingleborough and back to Penyghent as I follow the footpath through Sulber Nick...
Park Fell to the north
Blea Moor, Cam Fell, and Birkwith Moor to the north and northeast
At the junction of the Pennine Bridleway and the Three Peaks path. I'm going to follow the Pennine Bridleway a short distance south to Sulber Gate to get the view across Thieves Moss to Penyghent.
Taking in the view across Ribblesdale to Penyghent and Fountains Fell from Sulber Gate..
There's deep snow to negotiate as I return to the Three Peaks path
Ingleborough ahead and Penyghent behind as I follow the Three Peaks path west...
Through the gate in the wall below Simon Fell, and the climb up Ingleborough begins
Looking back across Ribblesdale to Penyghent and Fountains Fell
Heading uphill and Ingleborough comes into view..
Looking across to Little Ingleborough
Approaching the final climb to the summit
Looking back across Simon Fell Breast
That's a properly deep snowdrift
Heading up the path to the eastern end of the summit plateau
A view across Simon Fell as I look back
Before going to the cross shelter for lunch I'll walk along the northern edge of the plateau and take in the view. Starting with, Lake District fells in the far distance beyond Gragareth, with Great Coum and the Howgills on the right, and Twisleton Scars below on the other side of Chapel-le-Dale.
Looking east along its northern edge to Simon Fell
and across Chapel-le-Dale to Great Coum, the Howgills, Whernside, Wild Boar Fell, High Seat, Great Knoutberry Hill, Blea Moor, and the Ribblehead Viaduct
Lake District fells in the far distance beyond Gragareth, with Twisleton Scars below on the other side of Chapel-le-Dale
Looking across the limestone pavement of White Scars below and out to Morecambe Bay
While having lunch at the cross shelter I take a few photos of the view across the summit plateau...
Lunch had, I'll resume my walk along the edge of the plateau. Looking across Little Ingleborough to Pendle Hill in the distance..
..and across Ribblesdale to Penyghent and Fountains Fell
At the top of the path up from Little Ingleborough, which I'll take momentarily
Before I take the path, I take one last view from the eastern end of the plateau. Looking northeast across Simon Fell to Dodd Fell Hill, Cam Fell, and Yockenthwaite Moor in the distance..
..and east across Ribblesdale to Plover Hill, Penyghent, and Fountains Fell
Heading for Little Ingleborough
Looking back to Ingleborough
and across Ribblesdale to Plover Hill, Penyghent, and Fountains Fell from Little Ingleborough
Making my descent from Little Ingleborough on the path to Trow Gill..
Looking back to Little Ingleborough and Ingleborough
Instead of heading down into Trow Gill I follow a trail of footprints that should take me to the Pennine Bridleway at the top of Long Lane. A shortcut, and I don't particularly want to make my way down Trow Gill in the snow.
I follow the Pennine Bridleway north towards Sulber Gate..
To my left, Little Ingleborough, Ingleborough, and Simon Fell
Approaching Sulber Gate
Moughton on the other side of Crummack Dale
Pendle Hill in the distance as I look down Crummack Dale from Sulber Gate
and there's also a great view across Thieves Moss to Penyghent, which has a different look to it in the afternoon sun..
Onto the home straight at last. I reach and take the Three Peaks path back to Horton.
A last look back to Ingleborough
Into the cold and shadows as I head down from Sulber Nick..
Lengthening shadows across Ribblesdale
Following the footpath towards Horton, I pass Beecroft Hall..
Across the footbridge over the Settle to Carlisle railway and I'll be back in Horton. Perfect timing as the last of the sun's rays catch the top of Penyghent.